I know if a decision is made off of a gage, it must be calibrated. How do I mark assembled parts that are reference only and nothing to do with gaging? We make sub-components and have examples of the full assembly for reference. How do I mark these? Any ideas??

Parts or components can be verified with uncal'd gages during the manufacturing process, as a sanity check.....not as a certification.

Calibrated gages need to be downstream of the uncalibrated ones, to assure that the sanity check is not used to certify product. This approach is fairly common in some arenas, such as machine shops.

Hershal

Please clarify how you are using the reference parts. Do you use them as a "gold standard" for how your parts should look and measure? (In other words, regardless of whether your caliper had gradations for an exact dimension reading, is the requirement for conformance satisfied if you use the caliper on the gold standard and it matches your newly manufactured component, does the new component "conform" by definition, regardless of your caliper reading?)

Alternately, is the assemblage of "reference parts" merely there for identification purposes of visual comparison and are never calipered or otherwise compared directly with newly manufactured components? (this would be similar to merely having a photo of the "reference parts.")

Hershal-
"Parts or components can be verified with uncal'd gages during the manufacturing process, as a sanity check.....not as a certification."

How can that be? ISO states that is you are making a decision of "GO/No GO" the gage must be calibrated.


Wes-

"Please clarify how you are using the reference parts. Do you use them as a "gold standard" for how your parts should look and measure? (In other words, regardless of whether your caliper had gradations for an exact dimension reading, is the requirement for conformance satisfied if you use the caliper on the gold standard and it matches your newly manufactured component, does the new component "conform" by definition, regardless of your caliper reading?) "

We have it on a board that just shows the function of the part. It is not a boundary part at all. Simply a part that shows the operator how the part being produced fits into the handle.

Does that help??


-Marie

Ozzie,

I would mark them as visual management and not worry about calibration. They are used as an assembly representation and not pass/fail.

Hershal-
"Parts or components can be verified with uncal'd gages during the manufacturing process, as a sanity check.....not as a certification."

How can that be? ISO states that is you are making a decision of "GO/No GO" the gage must be calibrated.


Note there is a DIFFERENCE between "calibrated" and "certified"
We all agree that an organization "should" make an attempt to have staff use calibrated gages and instruments to measure products anywhere in the process, but if the part is going to be subject to further processing, the measurement is more like "identifying" that the part is ready for further processing (polishing? plating? etc.?) The gage is not necessarily certified, but a rudimentary calibration is performed. If an organization chooses to perform in-process SPC, then the measurement is of characteristics, not attributes. Therefore, a go/no go gage is not used, but a calibrated, certified "instrument" is required.
Wes-

"Please clarify how you are using the reference parts. Do you use them as a "gold standard" for how your parts should look and measure? (In other words, regardless of whether your caliper had gradations for an exact dimension reading, is the requirement for conformance satisfied if you use the caliper on the gold standard and it matches your newly manufactured component, does the new component "conform" by definition, regardless of your caliper reading?) "

We have it on a board that just shows the function of the part. It is not a boundary part at all. Simply a part that shows the operator how the part being produced fits into the handle.

Does that help??
-Marie
From your description, the reference parts act the same as a photo - they are identification use only. (Excellent way to assure workers get the "big picture" of how their work is used downstream.) Except to mark them as belonging to customer and assuring they do not get damaged or modified, there should be no other marking of those parts. It is not even a "Work Instruction" because your worker is not doing assembly at that point.

Ozzie,

An uncalibrated gage is not used to certify the product......but if you want to know whether you are close or way off base. Anything closer than that is what the calibrated gages are for.

Hershal